Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1887-04-01

l.
fellow traveller might get down at Meu.
Ian or Vernon, but he soon discovered
his mistake. The. old gentleman was
bound all the way to Havre. Exas-
perated. Lucien made up his mind to
ignore the presence of the interloper.
After all they were married, and might
openly avow their fondness. He took
his wife's hand in his. But the old
/ gentleman's brow lowered like that OF
g Moor; it was evident that he disap.
proved all outward marks Of affection,
however legitimate; so Hortense, her
face like crimson, quickly Withdrew
her hand. 4. -. II.
The rest of the journey was accom-.
plished in silence and constraint.
Happily they had now reached Rouen.
should here mention that Lucien,
on leaving Paris, had bought g. guide
book. The young couple aliehted at
an hotel which was highly recommends
ed in the book, and at once fell an easy
prey to the walters. At the table
d'hote they scarcely dared exchange q
word on account. of the crowd of peo-
pie staring at them. So they retired
early to rest; but the partition walls
were so thin that the ne,ghbors to the
right and lett could not bulge without
their being aware of it. They no long
er dared to turn or even coughin their
beds. ..v'
Lets go and see the town." said
Lucien on rising the next morning,
and then start off quickly for Havre."
They were on their feet all day, Wis.,
tied the cathedral, where they were
shown the Butter tower, built with
the proceeds of taxes imposed by the
clergy on the butter of the country;
they went to the old palace OF the
dukes of Normandy, entered the an
Gent churches now used as corn lofts,
saw the Joan OF Arc square, the mu-
scum, and even the Monumental GEM
etery.
To cursory observers they seemed
ardent in the accomplishment of du-
ty; nor did they fail to look at every
historic house i'll the town. The truth
is Hortense felt especially bored to
death, and so tired that the follow
ing day she wentto sleep in the train.
On reaching Harve fresh cause for
annoyance arose. At the hotel at
which they stayed the beds were so
narrow they had to take room with
double bedsteads. Hoctense felt al
most as if she had been insulted and
burst into tears. Lucien consoled her
as best he could saying they would
stay at Havre no longer than was
strictly necessary to see the town.
And their rambling walks began
again.
Then they left Havre and stayed for
a few days at each Of the important
places set down in their guide book.
They visited Hon1eur, Pont-P Eveque,
Caen, Bayou and Cherbourg; their
heads in fact, got crammed with such
a. lot OF streets, monuments, and
churches, that they soon jumbled the
whole together and grew heartily sick
and tired of sights and objects alto
gether devoid of interest for them.
They no longer looked at any thing,
but kept on the even tenor OF their
way as though it were task they did
not know how to escape. They seem
ed to think that since they had
set out on a circular trip, they must
somehow find their way back home.
One evening at Cherbourg, Lucien let
fall, an ominous expression of his
views.
II think like your mothers shop
BETTER"
The next day they started for Gran
vile.
Lucien remained absorbed, and at
times cast wild and fitful glance at
the country where the fields on each
side OF the car expanded before them
like fan.
Suddenly, as the train came to a
small station, the name of which did
not reach their ear, but where love-
lynook of verdure was visible among
the trees, Lucien cried out:
F'Get down, my dear, get down,
quick!'
"But this is no station marked in
the guide book" expostulated Hor-
tense.
1.-THE guide book, say you? Wait a
bit. I'll show you what Well do with
the guide book! Come, quick, get
down."
"What about the baggage?"
"Oh, FLIP for the baggagel" an
swered Lucien.
And so Hortense got down, the train
started, and left both OF them in that
lovely nook of verdure.
On leaving the station they were IN
the open country. Not sound dis
turbed the stiffness. Birds were chirp.
ing in the trees; clear stream flowed
at the bottom of the valley.
Lucien's first care was to fling the
guide book into the middle of g. pool
of water as they went by.
At last it was all over; they were
free!
A few hundred steps of stood q Sc
cluded country inn, where the wife of
the host gave them a large room as
cheerful to look upon as sunshine in
spring. The whitewashed walls were
fully q yard thick. Moreover, there
was not a traveller in the house, and
alone the hens looked at them with an
inquisitive air.
''Our tickets are good for eight days
yet," said Lucien. well spend the
time here"
And what delightful week it prov
ed to be. They went off in the morn
ing by untrodden paths; they sought
the depths OF a wood on the slope of
= hill, and they spent the live long
day, lost among the tall grasses that
hid their youthful loves. Anon they
followed the stream; Hortense ran like
an escaped school girl, or pulled of
her shoes and took foot bath, while
Lucien, who provoklngly came up
from behind, made her scream out by
suddenly snatching kiss from the.
back of her bare neck.
Their lack of linen, and OF everything
generally, was highly amusing. They
we're. IN fact, e,ated beyond measure
at the thought that they were thus
loft, fo then,salvea in a desert who're M,